Electric-lamp receptacle for signs.



G. B. THOMAS.

ELECTRIC LAMP REGEPTAGLE FOR SIGNS.

APPLICATION FILED 11031.25, 1910.

1,1 10, 1 63. Pa ented ep 8, 1914.

q/qh bw 012-0: 7 I (121m wfo'c 32 {3H7 7% Z 14% mm sign GEORGE IB. THOMAS, OF BRIDGEPORT, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO THE BRYANT ELECTRIC COMPANY, OF NECTICUT.

To all wlaom it may concern:

citizen of the United States of Americapre siding in the city of Brldgeport, 1n the county of Fairfield, in the State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electric-Lamp Receptacles for Signs, &c., of which the following is a specification. I

My invention relates to the construction of electric incandescent lamp receptacles, more particularly such as are designed for use in making up electrically illuminated signs, and commonly called sign receptacles.

The main object of my invention is to so construct the receptacle that it can be installed whollylfrom the rearv of the sign plate, that when installed, its face shall be practically flush with the face of the plate, that it may be adjusted rotarily in place to any position which the direction of the insulated conductors at the back of the sign may require, but when in place, the receptacle may be secured very firmly and rigidly to the sign plate. These objects I attain by the construction hereinafter described.

Inthe accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a sectional view through the receptacle and a portion of the sign plate, showing the receptacle about to be inserted; Fig. 2 is. a similar view, showing the receptacle secured in place; Fig. 3 is a side view of the receptacle; Fig. 4 is a face View of the same; Figs. 5, 6 and 7 are perspective views of modified forms of clamp.

In sign receptacles as usually constructed, so far as Iam aware,- the-receptacles and their securing means have been partly inserted from the front of the sign plate and partly from the back, often requiring there fore two men to work together on the job, and; if one man could do the work, it had been under inconvenient and trying conditions. 1 have devised a novel construction whereby the securing means can be inserted and secured in place wholly from one side of the sign plate, namely, the back, where the wires are to run from one receptacle to another. With my construction, one person can .do a job as quickly as two men could have done it with the usual forms of sign receptacles heretofore on the market.

The sign plate Alias circular openings Specification of Letters latent.

BRIDGEPORT, CONNECTICUT, CORPORATION OF CON- ELECTBIC-LAILIP REOEPTACLE FOR SIGNS.

Patented Sept. s, ieia.

Application filed November 25, 1916. Serial No. 594,188.

the respective lamp-receiving terminals I),

I E within the body B.

At the forward or open cup end of the insulating body B is formed a head 6, of a size to enter and fit the opening a in the sign plate, and around this bead is formed a projection or shoulder 6 Fig. 3, of a size to bear against the back of the sign plate A around the edge of the hole a.

On opposite sides of the receptacle are clamps G, G, preferably guided in longitudinal grooves 29 in the exterior walls of the receptacle, and these guide grooves may be slightly inclined toward each other-toward theforward end of the receptacle, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. Theseclamps G, Gr, are provided with OlltVVflI'dlYy projecting claws g, which, after being passed through the hole a in the Sign plate from the rear of the at the edge of the hole. The rear ends of these clamps are acted on by adjusting and securing screws S, whose stems pass freely through holes 1", in the insulating body, preferably so that their heads can be conveniently got at by a screwdriver from the rear, as shown. In such case, the forward threaded ends of the screws take into threaded openings in flanges of the clamps. Retaining washers w, w, of any usual or convenient kind may be provided on the screw s to keep the screws in place longitudinally. Thus by turning these adjusting screws by screwdrivers at the back of the receptacle, the clamps may be advanced forward as shown in 1, and owing either to the inclination of the backs of their guiding grooves 72, or owing to the play of the screws in the holes 1', or both, the claw ends of the clamps may be brought sufficiently toward each other to permit both and then, by the screws S, the clamps may be retracted until, as shown in Fig. 2, the

edge of the sign plate around the opening is gripped tightly between these claws and the shoulder b of the receptacle, and the latter is then held firmly and rigidly to the sign plate so as to be secured against rotation in that position which is found most convenient for the run of the Wires to be secured to the terminals F, F at the back. This will leave the front face of the receptacle practically flush with the front face of the sign plate.

As seen in Fig. 3, the claw g of the clamp is preferably curved or otherwise so formed as to bear on. the plate at its edges adjacent to the shoulders b of the receptacle body. Or if preferred, the claws may be extended laterally as shownat g in the modification, Fig. 6. If desired, the claws may be struck up from a ring, R, (Fig. 5), which slides freely over the shoulder 5 In this figure four claws g are shown. Where independent claws are used, they may be provided with guide wings .12, (Fig. 7), offset from the perforated base of the claw g and sliding freely over the outer face of the shoulder 6.

It will be seen that my improved lamp receptacle and its securing means are inserted and installed from one and the same sidethe rear-of the receptacle, and may be wholly secured and adjusted from the same side in any position rotarily, thus making installations quicker, simpler, and easier than with constructions in which some part of the securing means has to be put in place from the front and some from the rear of the sign plate, or where the receptacle can be secured in only one position rotarily.

ll claim as my invention 1. As a new article of manufacture, an electric sign receptacle comprising a body carrying within it lamp receiving terminals, and having also terminals for the wires, and provided with gripping means for securing the receptacle to the sign plate, and adapted to be inserted through the sign plate from the rear in any position rotarily, together with means for actuating said gripping means to secure said receptacle to the sign plate and hold the same against rotation.

2. An electric sign receptacle, comprising a body carrying within it lamp-receiving terminals, and having also wire terminals, clamps carried by the receptacle with outwardly projecting claws to be inserted through the sign plate from the rear to grip the sign plate between the claws and the rece tacle and means for ad'ustin the t0 claws.

3. An electric sign receptacle, comprising a body carrying within it lamp-receiving terminals and having also wire terminals, clamps carried by the receptacle with outwardly projecting claws to be inserted through the sign plate from the rear to grip the sign plate between the clawsanduthe receptacle, with adjusting screws to advance and retract the clamps 4. An electric sign-"receptacle, comprising an insulating body carrying within it lampreceiving terminals and having also ,wire terminals, inclined guiding grooves in the outer face of the body, clamps in said grooves,

with claws to grip the front of the sign plate and to be inserted through a hole in the sign plate from the rear, and means to advance and retract the clamps.

5. An electric sign receptacle, comprising an insulating body of cup form with a head and shoulder at its forward end and containing within it lamp-receiving terminals, wire terminals at the rear of the receptacle, clamps with outwardly projecting claws to be inserted with the head of the receptacle through the sign plate from the rear,-.-and means to adjust the clamps to grip the sign plate between the claws and the shoulder of the receptacle.

6. An electric sign receptacle, comprising an insulating body carrying within it lampreceiving terminals, and having also wire terminals, outwardly projecting claws carried by thereceptacle and adapted to be inserted through the sign plate from the rear in any position rotarily, and means to cause the sign plate to be gripped between the claws and the receptacle and hold the latter against rotation.

7. An electric sign receptacle, comprising an insulating body carrying within it lampreceiving terminals and also having wire terminals, outwardly projecting claws carried by the receptacle and adapted 'to be inserted through the sign plate from the rear in any position rotarily, and means in connection' with said claws to grip said sign plate so as to "hold the receptacle against rotation.

8. An electric sign receptacle, comprising an insulating body'carrying within it lampreceiving terminals and having also. wire terminals, outwardly faced gripping means carried by the receptacle and adapted to be inserted. through the sign plate from the rear in any position-rotarily, and screw means for actuating said gripping means to hold said receptacle against rotation.

9. An electric sign receptacle, comprising an insulating body carrying within it lampreceiving terminals, in combination with gripping means for securing said receptacle to the sign plate and adapted to be inserted through the sign plate from the rear and rendered operative in any'position rotarily, together with means for actuating said grip-- ping means to secure said receptacle to the sign plate and hold the same against rota tion.

10. The combination of a sign plate hav- 'llltt ing a circular aperture, with a lamp receptacle adjustable from one side of the plate at said aperture in any position rotarily, and means carried by said receptacle and operable wholly from the side of adjustment, for clamping the receptacle in adjusted position.

11. The combination of a sign plate having a circular aperture, with a lamp receptacle adjustable from one side of the plate at said aperture in any position rotarily,

and having members bearing in' adjusted position against the opposite sides of said sign plate, together with means operable wholly from the side of adjustment for clamping the plate between said members.

12. The combination of a sign plate having a circular aperture, with a lamp receptacle adjustable from one side of the plate at said aperture in any position rotarily, and having members bearing in adjusted position against the opposite sides of said sign plate, together with screw means operable wholly from the side of adjustment for clamping the plate between said members.

13. For use with an apertured sign plate, a lamp receptacle adjustable rotarily with respect to said plate, co-acting relatively movable fastener members on the receptacle adapted to clamp the latter to the plate, and means operable from the lamp receptacle inserting side of the plate for relatively approaching said fastener members toward each other to bring them into clamping engagement with the plate.

14. For use with an apertured sign plate, a lamp receptacle adjustable rotarily with respect to said plate, co-acting relatively movable fastener members on the receptacle adapted to clamp the latter to the plate, and means operable from the. lamp receptacle inserting side of the plate for relatively approaching said fastener members toward each other to bring the same into clamping engagement with the plate, said fastener members being disposed in adjusted position on opposite sides of said plate.

15. For use with an apertured sign plate, a lamp receptacle rotarily adjustable from one side of the plate at said aperture, fastener members on the receptacle bearing in adjusted position against the opposite sides of the sign plate, one of said members being movable with relation thereto, and screw means engaging the movable fastener member for bringing said member into clamping engagement with the plate, said screw means being operable from the lamp receptacle inserting side of the plate.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

GEORGE B. THOMAS. Witnesses:

G. W. Goomuncn, H. M. WIGHERT. 

